You’ve probably heard the buzz around 'No-Code' recently (or maybe not). I’ve certainly mentioned it in plenty of my content, but… what the heck is No-Code, anyway?

‍

And why should you, as an Oil & Gas professional, care?

‍

Today, we’re diving into this growing trend to uncover how No-Code isn’t just for tech-savvy developers—it’s an incredibly useful tool that can transform the way you work, unlock new efficiencies, and even help you monetize your skills.

‍

‍

What Is "No-Code"?

‍

At its core, No-Code platforms allow anyone to build applications, workflows, or digital solutions without writing a single line of code.

‍

Yep, you read that right. No more getting lost in the weeds of coding!

‍

‍

Why Does No-Code Matter for You?

‍

Our industry is being transformed by AI, automation, and digital tools.

‍

Whether you’re a professional looking to increase productivity or a consultant seeking new ways to offer value to your clients, No-Code is a gateway to quicker, more efficient workflows.

‍

With No-Code tools, you can automate repetitive tasks, build dashboards to visualize complex data, or even develop a product to sell through various platforms. That’s exactly what the CrowdField Store is for!

‍

‍

Use Cases

‍

Why don’t we ask ChatGPT?

‍

Prompt:

<Could you provide 5 examples of how subsurface professionals in the Oil & Gas industry can leverage No-Code tools to improve their workflows and productivity?>

‍

Reply:

• Automating Data Integration: Use No-Code platforms like Zapier or Make (Integromat) to automate the integration of data from various sources (well logs, production data, simulation models) into a single dashboard, saving time on manual data entry and updates.

‍

• Customizing Reservoir Dashboards: Build interactive dashboards with tools like Airtable or Glide to visualize reservoir performance metrics, allowing for real-time monitoring of key parameters such as pressure, production rates, and water cut.

‍

• Streamlining Reporting Workflows: Create automated reporting pipelines using No-Code tools to generate daily or weekly reservoir performance reports. These tools can pull data from different sources and send consolidated reports to stakeholders automatically.

‍

• Designing Field Management Tools: Develop mobile or web apps using platforms like Bubble to manage well operations, allowing engineers to track well interventions, pressure tests, or production adjustments without needing to rely on IT departments.

‍

• Automating Decision-Making Alerts: Set up automated notifications and workflows that alert engineers when specific parameters (e.g., pressure drops or production surges) deviate from expected values, triggering a sequence of tasks to investigate and resolve issues.

‍

Systems, processes, and workflows that would typically cost tens of thousands to outsource to specialist developers can now be done by you, without any coding, for peanuts!

‍

‍

An Example

‍

Let’s walk through a simple workflow to give you a glimpse of what you can accomplish with No-Code tools.

‍

Here’s an example of the steps I want automated:

1. A field operator uses a mobile device (phone or tablet) to record daily oil, gas, and water production readings by filling out a production template directly on the device.
2. The data is automatically stored in a central production database, updating in real-time with every new entry from the operator.
3. A daily email is sent to relevant stakeholders, providing an updated summary of the day's production data.

‍

This type of workflow can be set up without writing any code, making your processes more efficient and streamlined.

‍

‍

‍The Tools

Let’s keep it really simple so you can see how easily you can use everyday tools:

• For the operator’s data entry, we’ll create a Google Form.
• For the production database, we’ll use Excel to store and manage the data.
• To send daily updates, we’ll use Gmail as our email client.
• The tool that ties it all together, where we’ll build our automation, is called MAKE (formerly Integromat).

‍

Production template - Google Forms

‍

Sure, you might already know how to create an Excel form linked to an Excel file or a Google Form linked to a Google Sheet. But just for fun, and to showcase cross-platform integration capabilities, I want to do something different: create a Google Form and link it to an Excel database.

‍

Head over to Google Forms and sign in to your Google account.

‍

You can either choose a template or start a new form from scratch. From there, simply begin adding the questions you want the field operator to answer. The process is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly. For this example, I’ve kept it simple:

• Operator Name: [text entry]
• Date: [date picker]
• Well: [dropdown list for the operator to choose from]
• Oil Production (bbls): [number entry]
• Gas Production (Mscf): [number entry]
• Water Production (bbls): [number entry]

‍

That’s it! You can check out the form for yourself here: link to form.

‍

‍

Production database - Excel

‍

Now, let’s create our Excel spreadsheet, which will serve as the repository for all the operators’ entries.

‍

The fields or columns in the Excel sheet are straightforward. The table should look like this:

‍

‍

The Connector - MAKE

‍

MAKE (formerly Integromat) is the powerful automation tool that ties everything together. In the context of our workflow, it acts as the connector between Google Forms and Excel, ensuring that every form entry automatically updates your Excel database.

‍

With MAKE, you can create seamless integrations between different platforms, eliminating manual data transfers and saving time.

‍

How does it work?

‍

In MAKE, you build "Scenarios" by dragging and dropping apps into a workflow. You then define the parameters for how the apps should interact—all without writing a single line of code. It’s a simple and intuitive way to automate tasks across different platforms.

‍

This is what the Make interface look like:

‍

‍

‍

In my scenario, I have three “Modules” that are connected and run in the following sequence:

1. The “Google Forms” module receives the data submitted by the field operator when filling in the online form.
2. The “Excel” module then receives that data and populates the corresponding M365 Excel spreadsheet.
3. The “Gmail” module is responsible for sending out the email to the recipient list.

‍

If we click on any of these modules, we can see that our job, after establishing the necessary connections with the appropriate credentials (Microsoft, Google, etc.), is simply to map out the corresponding fields by clicking—for example, mapping the "Oil Prod" entry in the form to the corresponding ‘Oil Prod’ column in the Excel sheet.

‍

In this GIF, notice how the “Google Form” module blinks when I’m searching for the corresponding field to map to the Excel sheet:

‍

‍

It might not make much sense at this point, but trust me—this process becomes very intuitive once you start exploring the tool. The key point I’m highlighting is that you can set this up without having to write any code!

‍

Now, let’s watch on the screens, side by side, how this plays out once we submit an entry via the form.

‍

I will hit the “PLAY” button to run the make scenario manually this time, but this can also be set on a schedule to run every 5 minutes, 15 minutes, once a day, or at any interval you prefer.

‍

‍

‍

As you can see above, the MAKE scenario, once run, automatically sends the form data to the Excel database and then sends a notification email with the content we specified.

‍

There you have it—a no-code workflow for updating production databases and sending email notifications from field entries.

‍

Let’s set aside the obvious concerns about cloud data security or the fact that there are already reliable companies offering similar services. This is simply an example to showcase these tools in action.

‍

From here, it’s all about connecting the dots and figuring out how you can apply these tools to your own specific use cases.

‍